HONGI WAGES TOTAL WAR. FEELS AVENGED: ENEMY LOSSES MORE THAN 6,000

Korero (AEWS), Volume 2, Issue 15, 31 July 1944, Page 16

HONGI WAGES TOTAL WAR. FEELS AVENGED: ENEMY LOSSES MORE THAN 6,000

Bigchief of lattooed Chiefs, Hongi Hika, and his two thousand and more brown-skinned commandos have returned m their fleet of canoes from the expeditions of revenge started late last year against the Thames and Waikato tribes. With Hongi and his men are 3,000 prisoners, behind them are more than 3,000 men killed, many more wounded. Of the enemv killed in battle hundreds were eaten. The attacks are considered to. be some of the bloodiest in New Zealand’s history. Hongi’s osses are reported to be small; it was Maori battle-axes and spears against modern firearms, and Hongi had the firearms. i £ J j m t SCen i S were seen by News of New Zealand correspondents when the victors’ canoes berthed here last night. Ihe women, the warriors’ wives, and sweethearts who have been separated from their menfolk for the months of the campaign, loosed their anger in murderous attacks on the unresisting captive slaves. Several hundred were done to death by women who either had lost friends and relations in the expedition’s battles or who were fired with revenge because of losses in wars of several years ago.

Mongi Mika, a member of the Ngapuhi nation, was born in 1777; by birth he was influential, by his deeds in battle as a young man he quickly became more so. In 1814 he went to Sydney, lived in the house and care of Missionary Samuel Marsden, and returned to this country the patron and protector of Christianity and letters. Which said offices in no way soothed his fiery nature, or stopped him from plunging into war after war, to ravage the Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Whangaroa, and Hokianga. Hongi went to England in 1820, saw King George IV, helped to write a New Zealand vocabulary and grammar, had a ride on the great elephant, and a good look round. In Sydney, on his return, he was most distressed to hear of the death

in battle of his son-in-law. Sadness replaced by anger, Hongi quickly realized on all the valuable presents given to him in England. The cash proceeds he turned into 300 muskets and a large supply of powder; he kept only a suit of armour, given to him by the King. Late last year Hongi left on his expedition of revenge. Three thousand, and more of his enemies were slain, a larger number taken prisoner, hundreds were eaten. Bigchief Hongi returned in triumph last night—“ And it was only the inclemency of the weather that brought me back.” His casualties were not heavy. In addition to the men killed and wounded in battle, thirty lives were lost when two canoes upset at sea.